‘Safe Haven’ Trailer: Yup, It’s a Nicholas Sparks Movie

Though he doesn't have the drawing power of the 'Twilight' franchise, Nicholas Sparks and films based on his work have become a cinematic sub-genre of modest success. Films like 'The Notebook,' 'Dear John' and 'The Lucky One' have been box office hits on a small scale. The latest Sparks film adaptation is 'Safe Haven.' And now it has a trailer.

The film stars Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, so more than any of the previous entries, it's trying to sell itself on the appeal of Sparks as an author. The trailer plays up that Hough is running from her past, but then there's love in the form of Duhamel's kindly widower. I guess in this case the person who dies (as is always the case in Sparks's novels) died before the movie began. But you never know, Sparks might be going for a double death whammy. The most shocking thing about this movie is that it's directed by Lasse Hallstrom, who a lifetime ago directed the masterpiece 'My Life as a Dog' and two lifetimes ago directed Abba videos.

Here's the synopsis:

An affirming and suspenseful story about a young woman’s struggle to love again, Safe Haven is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, the best-selling author behind the hit films The Notebook and Dear John. When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love in this deeply moving romantic thriller.